Lyrics - Are they important to you?

[xilddx]

And do they make a difference to how you perceive the band/music/song etc?

Are song lyrics important to you? Can they make or break a song (or even a band) for you?

Or is it the music and voice that are more important to you, and what they are singing isn't particularly important?

Would you care if The Clash sang about unrequited love rather than politics? etc, you get my drift.

[flyfisher]

Not particularly. I generally prefer instrumental music. If words were that important to me I'd probably read more poerty.

[Wil]

Not really, no. Melody, harmony and rhythm is most important, to me anyway.

[DorsetBlue]

Depends, some songs the lyrics are just there in the background and the rhythm is everything. Other songs, the lyrics are the song.

Edited July 1, 2013 by DorsetBlue

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1372682306' post='2128443']
Not really, no. Melody, harmony and rhythm is most important, to me anyway.
[/quote]
Usually for me too, but occasionally the lyrics will strike home, bad lyrics can ruin the song though, like the Beatles 'She a Woman' the rhyme presents and peasant annoys me intensely.
I'm quite particular about the lyrics in my own songs though.
I can quite happily sing along to a song without having a clue what its about.

[Dad3353]

Each individual piece has it's own criteria. Schubert's symphonies don't need lyrics, imo. Fairport's 'Who knows where the time goes..?' could be recited, it would still be tops (although Sandy Denny sings it beyond perfection...). Grateful Dead..? Some need lyrics ('China Doll'..?), some don't, or less ('Dark Star'..?).
I don't think there's much of a common denominator in there, whatever the outfit. Weather Report with singing..? Beatles instrumentals..? All are possible variants. Why the question..? What are you trying to elucidate, or is it a 'simply curious' thought that struck..?

Edited July 1, 2013 by Dad3353

[White Cloud]

To me yes, they are important. Words can be extremely powerful.

[TimR]

Lots of studies have been done on this.

In general, and this will be no surprise to most people:
Women listen to the words.
Men listen to the music.

[BigRedX]

If there are words and you can hear what they are, then IMO they have to eloquent and entertaining.

One of the reasons I got so heavily into Japanese bands is because I couldn't understand what they were singing about I wasn't being put off by crass lyrics that for me were spoiling my enjoyment of much of the music I heard coming from the UK and US.

Of course these days I play in a band that has songs with titles such as "Attack Of The 50ft Frankenbride", "SuperMonster Monster" and "Love Me Tendons, Love Me Goo". The subject matter might be somewhat silly and rude, but the construction of the actual lyrics is always interesting and clever.

[Low End Bee]

Yes and no. They have to fit the music and sound good. They don't have to be Shakespeare or anything for me though as long as they're appropriate. A clever phrase or a sung rhythmic device can lift a song a couple of notches.

My lyrics are written to fit a song and then to please me. I don't mind them being chopped around to fit if needs be.

[Ian Savage]

Usually, yes. It's what makes me love a large proportion of the music that I love (Springsteen, Gaslight Anthem, Counting Crows etc al particularly jump to mind) as opposed to just 'liking' it. The line in Bobbie Jean about calling up 'not to change your mind, but just to say I miss you baby; good luck, goodbye' makes my chest tighten just typing it.

Yes, I'm a wuss. And yes, I know it's written about a man

[deanovw]

There is words? I wondered what the singer was banging on about.

[Damonjames]

For me Definately, unless they are meant to be a bit goofy, the lyrics for me need to tell a story. I love metal, but I have turned away from many metal bands as more often than not the lyrics let the side down. I have spent hours looking at stuff on soundcloud for bands looking for a new bass player, I have only responded to two, while the others had some good sounds musically, the lyrics just sounded amateurish and not particularly well thought through.

[xilddx]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1372686238' post='2128525']
Lots of studies have been done on this.

In general, and this will be no surprise to most people:
Women listen to the words.
Men listen to the music.
[/quote]
[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1372685910' post='2128513']
Each individual piece has it's own criteria. Schubert's symphonies don't need lyrics, imo. Fairport's 'Who knows where the time goes..?' could be recited, it would still be tops (although Sandy Denny sings it beyond perfection...). Grateful Dead..? Some need lyrics ('China Doll'..?), some don't, or less ('Dark Star'..?).
I don't think there's much of a common denominator in there, whatever the outfit. Weather Report with singing..? Beatles instrumentals..? All are possible variants. Why the question..? What are you trying to elucidate, or is it a 'simply curious' thought that struck..?
[/quote]

Just wondering, really. I have been reading the Glasto threads and thinking, are they listening to the lyrics? Especially since most blokes I know don't really give a f*** about the lyrics, which means beautiful lyrics with odd music usually means they think the band are crap I love good lyric writing, it's really important to me that lyrics are thought provoking or a reflection of personality, or whatever. I love it when emphasis on syllables is changed through rhythm too, it can imbue the music with so much colour. Chino from Deftones is great at that. I duno, I just find lyrics important.

TimR - I'm not surprised most women listen to lyrics moreso than most men. Also, apparently, women are likely to ask where you're from, unlike men who tend to ask what you do.

[Happy Jack]

You say "Yes", I say "No", you say "Stop" and I say "Go Go Go" ...

[xilddx]

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1372686677' post='2128535']
Usually, yes. It's what makes me love a large proportion of the music that I love (Springsteen, Gaslight Anthem, Counting Crows etc al particularly jump to mind) as opposed to just 'liking' it. The line in Bobbie Jean about calling up 'not to change your mind, but just to say I miss you baby; good luck, goodbye' makes my chest tighten just typing it.

Yes, I'm a wuss. And yes, I know it's written about a man
[/quote]

That's a beautiful line!

[the_skezz]

Very important to me these days - didn't used to matter to me so much but these days I have little interest in hearing music that doesn't put forward something interesting lyrically - whether it's just rhymes that haven't been used a million times before or else an unusual song topic, if a song has lyrics I need it to do something different to what I've heard before.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1372687287' post='2128548']
For me Definately, unless they are meant to be a bit goofy, the lyrics for me need to tell a story. I love metal, but I have turned away from many metal bands as more often than not the lyrics let the side down. I have spent hours looking at stuff on soundcloud for bands looking for a new bass player, I have only responded to two, while the others had some good sounds musically, the lyrics just sounded amateurish and not particularly well thought through.
[/quote]

I love heavy music but I agree with you, Deftones are one of the few heavy bands I can listen to, because of Chinos lyrics, and the way he sings them.

[lojo]

for most music its not important , its more about vibe and melody

however, i doubt I would listen the laid back music (early eagles, csn etc) if they where not singing about taking it easy, and ACDC, wouldn't sound right singing about studying hard.

but mainly its not important, or at least secondary.

[Stan_da_man]

Dylan?

[SteveK]

[quote][size=4]Lyrics - Are they important to you?[/size][/quote]
They can be!
Although, for me, it's first and foremost the music, arrangement etc... but, if there is also thought provoking, interesting lyrics, as in many of Peter Gabriels songs, then that can turn a [b]good[/b] song into a [b]great[/b] one.

[JTUK]

I never know the lyrics of a song but every so often some will resonate.
I don't see my role in a band as lyrical... that is not to say that
people can write any old drivel for lyrics tho..
As with a lot of things, you only notice these things when they are REALLY bad.

I wouldn't push this view in front of a songwriter tho...

[keeponehandloose]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1372686384' post='2128527']
If there are words and you can hear what they are, then IMO they have to eloquent and entertaining.

One of the reasons I got so heavily into Japanese bands is because I couldn't understand what they were singing about I wasn't being put off by crass lyrics that for me were spoiling my enjoyment of much of the music I heard coming from the UK and US.

Of course these days I play in a band that has songs with titles such as "Attack Of The 50ft Frankenbride", "SuperMonster Monster" and "Love Me Tendons, Love Me Goo". The subject matter might be somewhat silly and rude, but the construction of the actual lyrics is always interesting and clever.
[/quote]
Can I join your band ??

[canarybass]

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1372686677' post='2128535']
. The line in Bobbie Jean about calling up 'not to change your mind, but just to say I miss you baby; good luck, goodbye' makes my chest tighten just typing it.

[/quote]

That was the exact line I immediately thought of when I read the OP. Gets me every time!

In fact the whole of the last verse of that song is a great example of how lyrics can really hit you:

Maybe you'll be out there on that road somewhere
In some bus or train traveling along
In some motel room there'll be a radio playing
And you'll hear me sing this song
Well if you do you'll know I'm thinking of you
and all the miles in between
And I'm just calling one last time not to change your mind
But just to say I miss you baby, good luck goodbye, Bobby Jean

Great stuff!

Edited July 1, 2013 by canarybass

[steve-bbb]

sometimes

but more often than not im hearing the tune and the lyrics are just a necesary means of conveying the melody

i only really pay attention to lyrics if it something of the calibre of joni mitchell or dylan or something similar where the song is the vehicle for some poignant tale

eg tales from topographic oceans beatiful vocal melodies .... crazy unlistenable lyrics (unless of course youre off your tits)

but try listening to something such as hurricane or hejira without listening to the lyrics!